HAL Tejas

The Tejas, or ‘radiance’, is an indigenous fighter aircraft jointly developed by Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. It is the smallest lightweight, multi-role, single-engine tactical fighter aircraft in the world and is being developed in single-seat fighter and twin seat trainer variants for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

Leading Particulars & Performance

Tejas is an aerodynamically unstable tailless compound delta-wing configuration, optimised primarily for manoeuvrability and agility. Designed to meet the tactical requirements of a modern air force, Tejas is a multi-role aircraft capable of comprehensive air superiority and air defence roles. The aerodynamic design is a culmination of an intense design process involving extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics and Wind Tunnel studies.

Highly optimised wing, with appropriate variation of thickness, camber and twist along the span.

Cross-sectional area distribution along the length, adjusted for good high speed characteristics

Leading Edge slats, scheduled for favourable aerodynamic behaviour

Wing-shielded bifurcated air intake duct, with diverters, suitably matched with engine to avoid buzz and to minimise distortion throughout the flight envelope

Variants

Tejas development programme has also accomplished the design and development of two seater trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The Success of Tejas programme for IAF drew the confidence of Indian Navy entrusting ADA with the Design and Development of Naval Version of LCA for operation from Aircraft Carriers. Aerodynamic enhancements to improve low speed performance for Carrier operation, addition of Arrestor Hook for deck recovery, need for a stronger Undercarriage and Cockpit redesign for naval operations have made the LCA Navy development programme an immense challenge.

Systems

Tejas incorporates a highly reliable quadruplex digital fly-by-wire Flight Control System. The new generation glass cockpit comprises Multi Function Displays (MFD), Head Up Display (HUD) and Stand by Instrumentation System driven by Open Architecture Mission and Display Computer. This provides effective Human Machine Interface (HMI). The advanced utility and health management system provides system health and warnings to the pilot through a Open Architecture Computer (OAC).

Powerplant

F404-GE-IN20

Weapons

Any modern fighter is only as good as the weapons she can deliver on target. The Tejas is designed to carry a veritable plethora of air to air, air to surface, precision guided and standoff weaponry. In the air to air arena, the Tejas carries long range beyond visual range weapons, with highly agile high off-boresight missiles to tackle any close combat threat. A wide variety of air to ground munitions and an extremely accurate navigation and attack system allow it to prosecute surface targets over land or at sea with unparalleled accuracy, giving the Tejas true multi/swing role capability.